There’s a growing need for agricultural teachers across the country. In South Dakota, Arlington FFA Advisor Kelly Keller says there are agriculture instructors who can retire, but don’t have someone to fill their spot. “We’ve told our group of experienced teachers they can’t retire until they’ve tagged their replacement. We don’t want our programs to die. We’re concerned,” says Keller. “Although South Dakota State University does a great job providing student teachers, many are from other states and some want to go back to their state.” There’s also an experience gap in South Dakota agricultural instructors. Keller says there are several projects to help bridge the gap. There’s also a new teach-ag sign contract, announced during the South Dakota FFA Convention, asking students to commit to a career in agricultural education.
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